Excipients Flashcards
Acidifying agent
1.) Citric acid
Used in liquid preparations to provide acidic medium for product stability
Alkalinizing agent
1.) Ammonia solution
Used in liquid preparations to provide alkaline medium for product stability
Adsorbent
1.) Powdered Cellulose
An agent capable of holding other molecules onto its surface by physical or chemical (chemisorption) means
Aerosol propellant
1.) Carbon dioxide
Agent responsible for developing the pressure within an aerosol container and expelling the product when the valve is opened
Air displacement
1.) Nitrogen
Agent employed to displace air in a hermetically sealed container to enhance product stability
Antifungal preservative
1.) Butylparabens
Used in liquid and semisolid preparations to prevent growth of fungi. Effectiveness of parabens is usually enhanced by use in combination
Antimicrobial preservative
1.) Benzalkonium chloride
Used in liquid and semisolid preparations to prevent growth of microorganisms
Antioxidant
1.) Ascorbic acid
Used to prevent deterioration of preparations by oxidation
Buffering agent
1.) Potassium metaphosphate
Used to resist change in pH upon dilution or addition of acid or alkali
Chelating agent
1.) Edetic acid
Substance that forms stable water- soluble complexes (chelates) with metals; used in some liquid pharmaceuticals as stabilizers to complex heavy metals that might promote instability. In such use, they are also called sequestering agents
Colorant
1.) FD&C Red No. 3
Used to impart color to liquid and solid (e.g., tablets and capsules) preparations.
Clarifying agent
1.) Bentonite
Used as a filtering aid for its adsorbent qualities
Emulsifying agent
1.) Acacia
Used to promote and maintain dispersion of finely subdivided particles of liquid in a vehicle in which it is immiscible. End product may be a liquid emulsion or semisolid emulsion (e.g., a cream)
Encapsulating agent
1.) Gelatin
Used to form thin shells to enclose a drug for ease of administration
Flavorant
1.) Anise oil
Used to impart a pleasant flavor and often odor to a preparation. In addition to the natural flavorants listed, many synthetic ones are used
Humectant
1.) Glycerin
Used to prevent drying of preparations, particularly ointments and creams
Levigating agent
1.) Mineral oil
Liquid used as an intervening agent to reduce the particle size of a powder by grinding, usually in a mortar
Ointment base
1.) Lanolin
Semisolid vehicle for medicated ointments
Plasticizer
1.) Diethyl phthalate
Component of film-coating solutions to make film more pliable, enhance spread of coat over tablets, beads, and granules
Solvent
1.) Alcohol
Used to dissolve another substance in preparation of a solution; may be aqueous or not (e.g., oleaginous). Cosolvents, such as water and alcohol (hydroalcoholic) and water and glycerin, may be used when needed. Sterile solvents are used in certain preparations (e.g., injections)
Stiffening agent
1.) Cetyl alcohol
Used to increase thickness or hardness of a preparation, usually an ointment
Suppository base
1.) Cocoa butter
Vehicle for suppositories
Surfactant (surface active agent)
1.) Benzalkonium chloride
Substances that absorb to surfaces or interfaces to reduce surface or interfacial tension. May be used as wetting agents, detergents, or emulsifying agents
Suspending agent
1.) Agar
Viscosity-increasing agent used to reduce sedimentation rate of particles in a vehicle in which they are not soluble; suspension may be formulated for oral, parenteral, ophthalmic, topical, or other route
Sweetening agent
1.) Aspartame
Used to impart sweetness to a preparation
Tablet antiadherents
1.) Magnesium stearate
Prevent tablet ingredients from sticking to punches and dies during production
Tablet binders
1.) Acacia
Substances used to cause adhesion of powder particles in tablet granulations
Tablet and capsule diluent
1.) Dibasic calcium phosphate
Inert filler to create desired bulk, flow properties, and compression characteristics of tablets and capsules
Sugar coating
1.) Liquid glucose
Film coating
1.) Hydroxyethyl cellulose
Enteric coating
1.) Cellulose acetate phthalate
Tablet direct compression excipient
1.) Dibasic calcium phosphate
Used in direct compression tablet formulations
Tablet disintegrant
1.) Alginic acid
Used in solid forms to promote disruption of the mass into smaller particles more readily dispersed or dissolved
Tablet glidant
1.) Colloidal silica
Used in tablet and capsule formulations to improve flow properties of the powder mixture
Tablet lubicrant
1.) Calcium stearate
Used in tablet formulations to reduce friction during tablet compression
Tablet or Capsule opaquant
1.) Titanium dioxide
Used to render a coating opaque. May be used alone or with a colorant
Tablet polishing agent
1.) Carnauba wax
Used to impart an attractive sheen to coated tablets
Tonicity agent
1.) Sodium chloride
Used to render solution similar in osmotic-dextrose characteristics to physiologic fluids, e.g., in ophthalmic, parenteral, and irrigation fluids
Flavored, sweetened
1.) Acacia syrup
Oleaginous
1.) Corn oil
Sterile
1.) Bacteriostatic sodium chloride injection
Viscosity-increasing agent
1.) Alginic acid
Used to render preparations more resistant to flow. Used in suspensions to deter sedimentation, in ophthalmic solutions to enhance contact time (e.g., methylcellulose), to thicken topical creams, etc.
Vehicle
Carrying agent used in formulating a variety of liquids for oral and parenteral administration.
Generally, oral liquids are aqueous (e.g., syrups) or hydroalcoholic (e.g., elixirs). Solutions for intravenous use are aqueous, whereas intramuscular injections may be aqueous or oleaginous
Tablet coating agent
Used to coat a tablet to protect against decomposition by atmospheric oxygen or humidity, to provide a desired release pattern, to mask taste or odor, or for aesthetic purposes. Coating may be sugar, film or thick covering around a tablet. Sugar-coated tablets generally start to break up in the stomach. Film forms a thin cover around a formed tablet or bead. Unless it is enteric, film dissolves in the stomach. Enteric coating passes through the stomach to break up in the intestines. Some water-insoluble coatings (e.g., ethylcellulose) are used to slow the release of drug in the gastrointestinal tract.
